The Maldives offer astonishingly beautiful islands, which are only matched in grandeur by the luxury resorts that crown them. Water-based diversions are here. You can also saunter about the capital, Male. Find an island of your own at HotelTravel.com.








This gorgeous garland of islands consists of 26 natural atolls, about 1190 islands in all, most of them uninhabited. For a long time, the Maldives was one of the best-kept secrets in the world. Now, with promises of seeing ‘the last paradise on earth’, tourists who can afford such a luxury flock to frolic in crystal clear water and sunbathe on pristine beaches. Many resorts feature private villas with glass bottom floors perched directly over the water. The sheer beauty and tranquility of the Maldives attracts honeymooners and other couples seeking rejuvenation and relaxation. It is also a major destination for scuba divers, who come for the abundant marine life and vibrant coral reefs. Most of the resorts have professional dive schools with qualified multilingual instructors offering a range of courses, from beginners to full PADI certification. In addition to diving, resorts offer superb snorkeling, windsurfing, catamaran sailing, para-sailing, night-fishing trips, banana-boating, water-skiing and volleyball. Visitors will be spoilt for choice, yet are perfectly free to choose to do nothing but relax in a hammock under the shade of a palm tree all day long. The Maldives holds the record for being the flattest country in the world, with a maximum natural ground level of only two metres above sea level. Only 200 of the nearly twelve hundred islands are inhabited, covered by lush tropical vegetation and palm trees. The remaining one thousand islands are uninhabited, some of which are mere sand bars or coral tips, covered in low-lying foliage. Each island is surrounded by a reef enclosing a shallow lagoon. Hundreds of these islands together form an atoll, surrounding yet another lagoon. An image of paradise indeed.
- About Maldives
- Activities for Children in Maldives
- Activities in Maldives
- Addu Atoll
- Diving Maldives
- Flight to Maldives
- Garudhiya Maldives
- Grand Friday Mosque
- Hukuru Miskiiy
- Islands of Maldives
- Kudahuvadhoo
- Maldives Accommodation
- Maldives Airline
- Maldives Airport
- Maldives Bank
- Maldives Beach
- Maldives Climate
- Maldives Cruise
- Maldives Culture
- Maldives Currency
- Maldives Embassy
- Maldives Festivals
- Maldives Flights
- Maldives Food
- Maldives Golf
- Maldives History
- Maldives Immigration
- Maldives Independence Day
- Maldives Information
- Maldives Market
- Maldives Reef
- Maldives Restaurant
- Maldives Shopping
- Maldives Sports
- Maldives Time
- Maldives Tour
- Maldives Tourism
- Maldives Vacation
- Maldives Visa
- Maldives Weather
- Malé
- Malé International Airport
- National Museum Maldives
- Sightseeing in Maldives
- Things to do in Maldives
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Located in the Indian Ocean some 435 miles (700kms) southwest of Sri Lanka, the Republic of the Maldives is an island nation comprised of 26 atolls encompassing 1,192 islets, of which about 200 are inhabited. With around 300,000 inhabitants, the Maldives is the world’s smallest Islamic nation and also the smallest Asian nation based on population.
Although the Maldives are not home to an abundance of attractions aimed specifically at children, the holiday infrastructure is well geared to receiving families and the natural environment offers endless hours of play opportunities. Beaches are generally safe places to let little ones do their own thing on the sand, while many of the big hotels offer excellent swimming pools, facilities and services for young guests.
The Maldives is a predominantly Muslim nation and as such it celebrates all of the popular Islamic festivals with as much enthusiasm and gusto as other Islamic countries. The nation also has a small selection of non-religious festivals which are specific to the archipelago. Invariably, national holidays are based around significant events in history.
The various islands of the Maldives provide plenty of opportunities for visitors to sightsee, with the capital Malé offering a particularly good selection of attractions. Visitors can take daytrips by boat around the most interesting island destinations, during which they can visit the most popular sights, shopping and sampling the local cuisine.

Malé International Airport is the main point of entry for international visitors and the only international aviation facility operating in the archipelago. The airport serves flights to and from Colombo in Sri Lanka, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Thrivandum in southwest India. Additionally, regular services operate from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, perhaps the most popular destination to fly via in order to reach the Maldives. The journey from Dubai to Malé takes about four hours.

Business Offices: 07:00 to 14:30, Sunday to Thursday
Banks: 07:00 to 14:30, Sunday to Thursday
Post Offices: 07:00 to 14:30, Sunday to Thursday
Shops: 08:30 to 23:00, Saturday to Thursday; 13:30 to 23:00, Fridays






















































